King Of Spades
by Midnite Solistace
Summary: Sequel to Queen Of Hearts: This is Remy's story. His perfect life will get turned upside down when a vicious vendetta comes back to haunt him. Enjoy. COMPLETE
1. Grim Beginnings

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men they are of course property of Marvel.

AN: Here we go guys 1st chapter, as you all should know from reading the summary this is the sequel to my fic Queen Of Hearts so you should read that first if you haven't already and as always read and review. Enjoy :-)

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**Grim Beginnings**

Life was good for Remy LeBeau. He was young, had a beautiful wife, a 3 and a half year old son, and belonged to a larger family. A family of X-Men. He had everything he could ever ask for and more. Remy wouldn't give this up for anything in the world. The former thief, known to his team-mates as Gambit sat on a grassy hill in the grounds of the Xavier Institute, watching his wife Anna, or Rogue as she was affectionately known to the X-Men, flying through the air holding their son Olivier tightly as he giggled and screamed in exhilaration at the rush of a swoop and then a loop through the air. It was hard to believe that in less than 24 hours, he would be dead, causing a great pain to those around him, and breaking Anna's heart.

Would it comfort Gambit to know that he was to die with honour during a mission? Possibly. Would that be any consolation to those who loved him the most, unlikely. After the birth of Olivier, Rogue and Remy considered retirement from the X-Men to focus on their family, but ultimately decided against it, knowing that their fight was to make the world a safe place for their son to grow up in. They knew the risks involved, every mission could mean their life, but not once did they stop to think that death was a possibility. Not really.

It was 10am and Cyclops had called the whole team into an urgent meeting. He had received a tip off from an anonymous source informing them of an old archeological dig site in Peru that had been unearthed and is rumoured to be one of the earliest worshiping shrines to En En Sabah Nur or Apocalypse. In the wrong hands this dig could be used as a tool to resurrect Apocalypse from the void he was eternally trapped in. Professor Xavier was away on business at Muir Island but had told Cyclops to send a team to investigate the shrine.

Gambit was the first to volunteer saying that back in his unscrupulous days he would often venture into newly discovered dig sites to find they were full of dangerous traps to ward off any would-be treasure hunters. He knew how they worked and could disarm them accordingly. Beast and Wolverine were also picked for the mission, Hank for his knowledge of Apocalypse and ancient hieroglyphics, and Logan because he was sick of sitting round the house all day. Storm asked to sit this one out due to her intense claustrophobia, and was granted her request. Rogue shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. Normally if either she or Remy was going on a mission, the other would stay behind for Olivier's sake. But Cyclops had just asked her to join the team certain that her super strength and flight would be invaluable since Storm was sitting out. It was only when Ororo promised to look after her and Logan's godson that Anna agreed to go on the mission. Jubilee and Jean also joined the team and it was decided that Cyclops would go too. Although rather than go into the dig site with them, he would remain outside monitoring them through Beast's video camera so that a quick escape would be available if needed.

The team suited up and entered the hangar to board the Blackbird. Storm stood waiting for them to depart with Olivier in her arms. Rogue took him from her for a moment and cuddled him tightly giving him a kiss on the cheek before handing him back to Ororo. Remy walked over to them and Olivier reached out his arms to his papa. Gambit took him and hugged him tightly, almost as if he sensed something would go wrong.

"You be good for auntie Stormy Oli" Gambit told his son affectionately.

"Come home soon papa." He told his dad as he was handed back to Ororo for a second time.

"It's a promise son." Remy put an arm around Rogue's shoulder telling her that Oli would be fine with Storm as he led her onto the Blackbird. But Anna's sixth sense was kicking in and she couldn't help but have this feeling of dread as the Blackbird began its flight to South America.


	2. Ancient Dangers

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**Ancient Dangers**

The entrance to the dig site was a large gaping hole in the ground. A rope was secured and dropped down to grant the X-Men access. Gambit descended first and by the time he reached the bottom he was surrounded in darkness with a narrow stream of light coming from above him. Using his cards to light up the room, Gambit grinned as he saw a series of round mirrors in the walls placed around the room. He always admired primitive lighting systems and looked around for a large mirror on the ground, which he found a few metres away. Positioning the mirror underneath the light he swivelled it to hit the mirror in the wall closest to him. The light bounced off that mirror and onto the next one and so forth until the room was fully lit. He was standing at the end of a very long corridor that led down to a large archway.

"It's ok to send them down now mon ami." Gambit told Cyclops through his communicator. Rogue flew down first followed by Jean floating down with her telekinesis. Everyone else clambered down the rope. The group was in awe of the ancientness of the site and was eager to investigate, especially Hank. When Jubilee stepped forward to make her way down the corridor Remy put his Bo staff out to block her path.

"Hold on now petite, everyone wait here for a minute. Something tells Gambit this won't be so easy." He started to make his way down the hallway, very slowly at first. Feeling each step as he went. He stopped after seeing six small round niche's in the wall to his left, and six more to his right that looked out of place. He swooped his staff out into the air space in front of him in line with the niche's causing a series of darts to fly through the air. One of them lodged itself into the staff itself. Remy pulled it out to inspect it. "Poison." He said.

Wolverine came up behind him. "How do we get past this wise guy?"

Hank also approached. "That's a good question, there's no way that any of us could safely get in line with the projectory areas to disarm them without being hit."

"That gives me an idea." Gambit said. "I fire up the card, and Jean uses her power to lodge it into the trap non?"

The plan went off without a hitch and together Jean and Remy fired off projectiles into the twelve dart dispensers.

Gambit continued down the path creeping slowly, he stopped in his tracks when large cracks began forming in the ground beneath him. The floor began to crumble so Remy jumped backward onto safe ground. A large pit had appeared with long sharp spikes greeting anyone who were to fall down it.

"Geez, what's next in this crazy place, ten foot stone guardians?" Jubilee asked.

"Be careful what you wish for kid." Logan told her. They were halfway down the corridor. "Do you think that's it Gumbo or are we in store for more surprises?"

"It's hard to say." He replied. The pit in the ground was easy enough to get everyone across with Jean's telekinesis, Rogue's flight and Beast was able to leap across. When they reached the end of the corridor Remy tripped an invisible wire causing a large stone slab to fall into the archway blocking their path.

"What now?" Rogue asked only to find out a blocked archway was the least of their worries when the stone slab started moving towards them preparing to push them back into the spiked pit.

"Remy what do we do?" she asked him as she braced herself against the wall trying to hold it back. Logan and Hank also began pushing but it was to no avail, the wall was moving, and it was moving fast. Remy ran back to the end of their path coming to a stop at the edge of the pit. There was no time to manoeuvre every one across again. He looked up and noticed the stone slab was moving on a mechanical pully system, if he could dislodge that it should stop the wall. The only problem being it was too high up and the pully was behind the wall with the X-Men trapped in front of it. There was no way to get a good shot; he'd need to be standing on top of the slab to reach it. Unless…

"Jubilee, come over here." Gambit said to her as he ran back to the rapidly approaching wall.

"What are you doing?" She asked as he lifted her up onto his shoulders.

"Don't argue, can you see the pully system?"

"Yea, its behind the wall."

"Take it out quick!" he yelled.

Sure enough the wall stopped its journey forward when Jubilee fired of some fireworks at the mechanical system. The wall toppled over, granting the team access to the archway.

"Fascinating" Hank said, as the team entered the main room of the dig. It was a large circular room lit by torches. Ancient hieroglyphics were carved from wall to wall. Large statue-like guardians watched over the room. In the centre was a pedestal with a stone tablet on it. Jubilee stood staring at the statues. "I wasn't being serious about the guardian comment."

Anna walked over to Remy. "I don't like this. Something doesn't feel right." She told him. Gambit nodded.

Hank stepped up to the pedestal to inspect the tablet and immediately wished he hadn't. The step he was on pushed into the ground acting as a mechanism for another trap. A gate began to lower slowly through the archway, the only way out. Water began gushing out from small pipes in the walls. The room would be filled in a matter of minutes.

"I think it's time to make haste!" Hank said grabbing the tablet and putting it in his pack.

"Um guys…" Jubilee said in fright as the statues sprang to life to stop them leaving.


	3. The Ultimate Sacrifice

AN: Hey guys, thanks for the support the R&R has been great keep it up, and never fear this is not the last chapter.

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**The Ultimate Sacrifice**

"Ok everyone into the middle of the room, while we work out how to take these guys out." Wolverine commanded.

Gambit and Jubilee started firing off projectiles at them but they didn't even chip the stone.

"These things must be like 100 years old!" Jubilee said in frustration.

"I'll get em!" Rogue called as she flew up to their height. Dodging a swipe by a large stone arm, Rogue grabbed hold of it, trying to pull it from the base. The arm didn't budge; they were too heavy even for Rogue.

"Omph," she mumbled as she was struck by the statue sending her flying through the air. The water was almost knee deep now and rising fast.

"Rogue, you hold the gate, I'm going to take these apart piece by piece." Logan growled. "Everyone else head for the exit."

Rogue flew over to the gate and pushed it back up to the top of the archway while Wolverine got to work removing the legs from the statues. The stone proved no match for the adamantium and the first statue crumbled to the ground. Jubilee, Jean and Beast scrambled past Rogue and back out into the hallway. By now the statues had all turned on Wolverine so Gambit jumped in to distract them. The water was waist high when Wolverine took down the last statue.

Gambit panicked when he saw that the statue was going to fall into the gate, crushing Rogue. He jumped in front, pushing her out of the way back into the hall way.

She clambered up out of the water and yelled "Remy!" She couldn't see him. Rogue flew back through the gate, which was now closing again. She saw the large mound of rubble that would have crushed her. Remy's head came up out of the water gasping for breath. He was trapped by the stone, pinning his foot to the floor. Rogue tried to lift it, but she couldn't.

"Remy come on, you gotta find a way to slide your foot out, please." She begged.

"Chere, there's no time, the gate's closing." He grasped her hand.

"I'm not leaving you here!" She looked around for Logan who made his way over to them. "Logan please, help me get him out."

He dove under the water looking where Gambit was trapped. He surfaced a moment later.

"I'm sorry, the only way you're getting out of here is if I amputate the foot, but I can't even get to it."

Gambit grimaced, not in pain but in despair. "Go. Both of you please GO. Get out of here." He pleaded, looking into his wife's eyes.

She started crying, shaking her head, "No, Remy I can't, please, I need you."

Gambit kissed his wife one last time. "Anna, I need you to live, I need you to be with Oli every day for me, I need you to hug him and tell him everything's ok. I love you so much."

"I love you too." Rogue shook with her sobs, still clasping his hand. The water was up to their necks now.

Gambit looked at Logan who was trying to put on a brave face. "Logan, take her."

He nodded, grabbing Rogue round the middle and dragging her away from Gambit's hand.

"I'll always be watchin over you, Chere." Gambit managed before taking a deep breath as the water rose over his head.

Rogue kicked and screamed as Logan swam with her back through the gate. She quickly found she had no fight left in her as Wolverine made her grasp the rope at the exit. He too took hold and yelled at Cyclops to pull them up.

Rogue collapsed on the firm ground as soon as her feet stood on it. Her tear streaked face and shaking sobs told the story, no one needed to ask where their missing team-mate was. Jubilee shook her head, not accepting what was obvious. No one spoke. There were no words. Wolverine took Rogue in his arms and carried her into the blackbird. Jubilee buried her head in Hank's furry chest, while Jean cried in Scott's embrace.

The somber flight back to the mansion was silent for nearly an hour when Rogue broke it. She was huddled on a seat her head in Logan's lap. "We need to go back."

"Rogue, darlin' there's just no way he could have gotten out, even if he freed his leg, the water was too high." He ran his hand through her hair comfortingly.

"We need to bring him home. He doesn't deserve to rest in a watery grave." Her voice held no emotion, she'd gone into shock.

Rogue didn't cry; she'd need all her strength to get through the days ahead. She knew the hardest part was still to come, telling a 3 year old his father was never coming home.


	4. A Life For A Life

AN: Hey guys remember to review please, I feel such excitement when I get a new email saying someone's reviewed, it reminds me that people do read my story lol, thanks heaps to the people who do you're awesome. Anyway enjoy. :-)

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**A Life For A Life**

The grounds of the Xavier Institute were quiet and solemn over the next few days.

The day of Gambit's memorial service was tough on everyone. Storm gave a moving speech about her oldest and dearest friend, although she couldn't keep from crying. Anna sat in the front row with Olivier on her knee. When the time had come to tell her son what had happened, Rogue had been lost for words. She told him that there had been an accident, and that Daddy had gone to live with the angels in heaven. She kept reliving her husband's last moments in her head, searching for answers, "what if's" if they had done something differently. Rogue didn't give a eulogy; it wasn't that she didn't want to give one, more that she found she couldn't. It had been three days since his death, and Anna still hadn't cried since leaving him in Peru. Everyone was worried about her, but they knew that she would have to grieve in her own time. It wasn't until a week later that Rogue let everything out.

She'd thrown up that morning, and all sorts of smells were making her feel ill. She went to Jean and asked for the test that would confirm her worst fears. Rogue came out of the bathroom holding a positive pregnancy test and finally broke down in tears. Jean sat with Anna for a long time, trying to convince her that this was a good thing.

"I can't do it Jean, I can't have this baby. It hurts too much."

"Olivier and this baby are all you'll have left of him Rogue, you'll never forgive yourself." Jean told her.

"I miss him." Rogue finally admitted. "I miss having his arms around me when I'm scared, I miss, his eyes looking into mine, I miss, Remy." She cried.

Jean held her friend. "Rogue, I can't even pretend I know the pain that you're going through. But this baby, maybe it's a sign; you know one life ends so another can begin? You know how much Gambit loved Oli; he'd give his own life it meant saving him; or you. I know he'd want you to keep this child."

Rogue crawled onto her bed; Jean had told her that she was almost 4 months along. Anna couldn't believe she hadn't realised until this morning. She went to her mirror and lifted up her top to reveal her stomach. There was already a bump, a small one, but large enough to tell what it was. She gasped, had Remy already guessed she might be carrying their child? She couldn't help thinking that might have been why he'd saved her, if she had been crushed it wouldn't have been so bad, with her invulnerability and all, but if she was carrying a baby...she didn't want to think about the complications. Rogue shook her head, if Remy had guessed he would have said something when they said their goodbyes.

She crawled back into bed and put her hand to her tummy and whispered, "I'm gonna love you baby, no matter how hard it is, I'm gonna love you, that's a promise." Her head shot up when she saw a shadow move at her windowsill. She moved over to it and opened the window to the cool night air. Leaning out she could see no-one was there, but she thought it odd, she was sure she saw someone. That was when she saw it. The Queen of Hearts sitting on the windowsill. Rogue picked it up, staring in disbelief. This couldn't be what it was, and yet here it was in her fingertips. She knew it was impossible, he couldn't be alive. Rogue almost tore the card in two, but resisted the urge just enough to place it under her pillowcase.

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Miles away in the deep south of Louisiana, a Cajun thief was locked away in a New Orleans basement. His shirt was off and he was chained to a wall.

"What did I tell you about sneaking back and watching her?!" His captor yelled as Remy was whipped across the chest.

He cried out in pain. "Nobody knew Gambit was there, I swear it!" He was whipped again.

"I told you, you can't go back there! Ever!"

His captor stepped out of the shadows and cupped his cheek with a slender hand. "I don't like hurting you like this Remy, but you have to learn, you're mine, you always have been, and always will." Belladonna kissed him tenderly on the lips.

Remy pulled away quickly and spat in her face. "My heart belongs to one woman Belle, the one who wears Gambit's ring, and it's not you."

"Give it time." Was all she responded with, wiping her cheek. This act of defiance gained Remy 50 lashes to his chest. At least now he'd be out of action for a day at least.

With every welt that burned into his flesh, Remy thought about his Anna. He saw her beautiful face, and could almost taste her sweet lips. What he'd done to her and Olivier was killing him, but they were the reason he was where he was, to protect them.

When the lashing stopped and he was left alone, chained to the wall, Gambit slouched over and began to cry, not from the pain of the welts across his chest, but because he missed his family. At least he was alive, he thought, he had to stay that way for them, so that one day he could find a way home to them.


	5. Shadow

Read & review, enjoy :-)

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**Shadow**

The next morning Gambit was released from his chains. He slumped to the ground, his shoulders raw from being suspended all night. His captors picked him up and dragged him through a corridor into another room, this time with no window, just a square room with no light. He knew what would happen now, because of the fresh scars across his chest, he was of no use to Belladonna, at least for a while longer. He'd be kept in this small dark room, with no food for the next 12 hours. Belle was trying to brake him. Cause him to lose all hope and breath of sanity until he'd follow her without question. At sundown he would be released and sent off to work for the Assassins. Being kept in this room was his punishment for sneaking off while returning from his last mission.

Sneaking off to see his wife. Remy wished there was some way he could know for sure, when he'd arrived at the mansion and scaled the walls to reach his bedroom window, he'd found Anna looking in the mirror at her stomach, he'd seen her crawl into bed and put her hand to it. He wanted to know if she was pregnant, he hated himself as it was for what he'd done to her, but if she was expecting, he didn't want her to go through it alone.

Thinking was all Remy could do until Belle let him out. He thought back to how they conceived their first child. It was their wedding night, he could still remember exactly how it felt, to kiss her, and be kissed. Their passion was urgent, desperate even, but Remy used the greatest care to be gentle knowing it was her first time. He remembered melting in her eyes during that moment when time itself had stopped and they became one.

When she had found out about the pregnancy only a month later, Rogue was hesitant at first, they had never talked about having children, but decided it felt right. Remy smiled as he thought back to that time, he had been so scared about becoming a father, but when he had held Oli for the first time, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. He wondered if leaving the Queen of Hearts on Anna's windowsill was the right thing to do, if she thought he was alive it would endanger them both, and their son. But he couldn't bear the pain he was putting his wife through and hoped that the card might ease it for her a little, he wasn't sure how but he hoped.

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The next morning when Rogue woke up, she reached under her pillowcase, just to check and realised that no card lay there. It had been a dream. Of course it had been a dream she told herself, her husband was never coming back and she had to start accepting it.

* * *

A month passed quickly for Anna LeBeau, her baby bump was clearly visible now and the Institute was abuzz with gossip. Everyone wondered if this new LeBeau would look like their lost team-mate. Olivier looked more and more like his mother everyday and Rogue prayed that this newest addition to her family would do the same. She wouldn't know how to cope if this baby looked like Remy, it would be too hard. One morning Olivier entered his mother's room and climbed on her lap. As far as she could tell, her son was coping well, and was excited at the prospect of a brother or sister. She hugged him close when he told her "I miss Papa."

"Me too son, but he wouldn't want us to be sad. It's ok to miss him, and I know he's proud of you Oli."

"He is?"

"Yes Sugah, he's watch'n over us from wherever he is now, and he knows that you're going to help me take good care of this little one for him."

Olivier closed his eyes and fell asleep in his mother's embrace and Rogue shed a tear, knowing things were only going to get harder as the days go by.

* * *

The days did go by and Remy LeBeau had become a shadow of his former self. Belladonna was trying to take over New Orleans, and needed the Cajun thief to help her do it. Whenever her work sent him close to New York he would sneak back to the mansion and steal glances at his old life. With each visit he saw Anna's belly growing and wished he could let her know the truth. Their son was growing up quickly; Gambit noted when he saw him playing outside on a sunny day. Rogue wasn't far away reading a book in the sunshine. He could never stay long for fear of being detected. He knew Belladonna was suspicious of him though and as the nine month mark grew ever closer she had restricted his work to Louisiana. Remy knew he couldn't risk visits, not when she now watched his every move. Belle didn't lock him away in windowless rooms anymore, she didn't need to. Remy had learnt to follow orders, except for when she tried to seduce him. He still resisted her advances but she was determined to get him into her bed.

On her latest attempt Gambit finally snapped, he pushed her back when she tried to kiss him.

"Belle, I've told you this isn't happening. And as soon as I've taken out the head mob boss you're after you won't need ol' Gambit anymore. I'm going home."

Belladonna lay on the bed where she had landed. She cackled at him. "Home? Remy you don't have a home anymore."

"I'll always have a home with the X-Men, with my family, God knows that's the only reason I'm still here."

She stood up and moved towards him. "You really think she'll forgive you for pretending you've been dead for the last nine months? When she's needed you the most? How is your son going to feel after he finds out his father, the man he looks up to more than anyone else in the world, has been lying to him all this time?" She said against his cheek.

Remy let out a deep breath. "You want to hold my heart Belle, like you used to? You want me to make love to you Belle, right here, right now?" He said slowly teasing her, running his hands lightly over her hips. "Gambit still don't know why you would when deep down you know that I'd be picturing Anna the whole time." He knew he had her there. He'd pay for making her angry but his words were all he had left against her.

"Take him away!" Belle called one of her Assassins in angrily to take Gambit away to be whipped and chained up for the night.


	6. Risk

AN: Hey I just want to thank everyone, I didn't realise just how many of you were reading this, I know I've been slack with my updates but I'll work on that. R&R enjoy :-)

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**Risk**

Rogue woke up at 3am with excruciating pain, they were short and sharp, and she knew they were contractions. She was having her baby. Anna started to panic, it was too early; her baby wasn't due for another three weeks. Rogue crawled out of bed and struggled along the hall to Hank's room and began banging on the door loudly. He opened it sleepy eyed in his night cap.  
"Oh dear." He managed seeing the sight before him.

"It's time Hank." Rogue panted struggling to breath and holding her stomach.

"Let's get you downstairs." Beast helped her into a wheelchair and stopped at Jean and Scott's room on the way. There was no need to wake them, as Rogue had begun moaning quite loudly at her contractions, they were much harder than when she gave birth to Oli, and she knew this would not be an easy birth. Within minutes the whole institute was awake.

* * *

Wolverine slipped back into his room un-noticed and picked up his mobile phone. He dialed a few numbers before speaking "Operator, connect me through to New Orleans." A minute later he dialed another 3 numbers and spoke again, "is this the secure line...lone wolf to card counter...it's time."

* * *

Remy LeBeau moved like the wind through dark New Orleans alleyways. He didn't stop, he couldn't risk it, Belle knew he had left and knew exactly where he was going. He couldn't be caught, not now; he had to see his child come into the world. He wouldn't use the airline's there was too much chance of being stopped. Remy was headed for the train station and hoped to god there was a train leaving as soon as he would get there. Gambit made it in time only to find the last train out to New York that night was fully booked and leaving in three minutes. He ran to the ticket counter and banged a large stack of cash on it, much more than the ticket fee. "Chere," he addressed the female sales attendant, "do whatever is in your power to get me on that train, I'm beggin' you."

"I'm sorry sir but it's full, and it's about to leave." She replied seeming genuinely sorry, sensing the sheer desperation in this man.

"Please, belle, it's a matter of life and death." He wasn't bluffing this one, he knew Belladonna's anger, and she would certainly see to it that Gambit's family's life was more than threatened after he had defied her this time. He had to move them, get them somewhere safe as soon as the baby was born.

"I have no luggage; it's just me, please."

The look on the attendant's face softened and she smiled. "Ok but you better hurry, you've got exactly 60 seconds."

Remy jumped the counter and kissed the shocked attendant extravagantly on the cheek before running down to the track.

The attendant called ahead to the boarding attendant, "There's one more, let him on."

8 hours later Anna was well into labour; Storm was gripping her hand as Jean was doing her best to deliver a healthy baby.

* * *

The rain fell like there was no tomorrow when Logan met Gambit at the train station on his motorcycle.

"Risen from the dead, bout time Cajun." He said as Remy climbed on behind Wolverine.

"Not yet mon ami, the baby's early I was meant to have another three weeks."

"So I'm supposed to sneak you into the infirmary without anybody noticing you're there?"

"Gambit's good at hiding in shadows Wolverine, you know that. I tell Rogue tonight, hold my baby, then I have to make sure they're safe before I split."

"Gumbo you know the institute's the safest place for them." Logan argued.

"Not anymore, Belle's after them." Remy said.

"You can't move a newborn baby; you know that, I just hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I mon ami, so do I."

* * *

Wolverine entered the infirmary just in time and took a place next to Ro. No-one even noticed a certain thief slip in and into the shadows.

"How's she doing Ro?" He asked.

"It's almost ready, you're just in time." She replied Rogue gripping her hand in support while she screamed.

"Jean I have to push."

Jean was at the birth canal monitoring the situation. "Not yet honey, almost just a minute more."

"I can't do this anymore." She cried panting.

Remy whispered to her, "Yes you can Chere, I'm here."

"Ok Rogue, push hard. That's it." Jean said. "And again, one more." She emerged from between Rogue's legs with the tiny infant who after a few moments cried its first sound out of tiny lungs. Hank cut the umbilical cord and Jean wrapped the child in a pink blanket before handing it to an exhausted Anna.

"Congratulations, you have a beautiful baby girl."

Rogue cried at seeing her little girl. "She's so wonderful; she looks just like her daddy." Rogue kissed her daughter on the forehead, and cuddled her close.

Ororo squeezed Logan's hand and he smiled at her. Over the past few months, their friendship had become very close, almost too close for either one of them to admit.

Remy wiped the tears from his eyes; this was killing him that his battle wasn't over.


	7. Bekka

AN: Heya ppls here ya go, just a quick note I've edited all of my spellings of Ollie into how its written in the new GeNext comic some of you may know about, to Oli - I preferred my way but oh well I like to be accurate, just in case anyone noticed the swap.

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**Bekka**

Rogue laid her new baby down into the incubator to sleep. It was time for her to sleep too she noted, she was exhausted. The last of the visitors had left her to get some rest and Remy took this opportunity to tell his wife everything. He was so nervous, what if she hated him? He had to try, he looked at her settling down into the pillows and sighed, she was so beautiful and god how he missed her. He entered the room quietly and saw her eyes were closed. He stepped over to the incubator to get the first proper look at his daughter. It brought a tear to his eye. He wanted to hold her but was afraid of waking her. Suddenly it was too late and her eyes shot open, she started to cry so he picked her up gently.

"Shhh, my petite, papa's here don't cry." He soothed.

Behind him he heard the sharp voice, "Who's there?" Remy turned around. "What in the world?" Rogue gasped. Her voice chocked in her throat and tears fell from her eyes. "I must be dreaming."

Remy walked over to the bed holding their daughter who had silenced her cries in her father's warm embrace. "God she's beautiful Anna, we did good huh?" He asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You're alive? Remy….I don't believe this." She stammered.

"First of all Chere, I can't start to tell you just how sorry I am for putting you through what I have, Olivier too, but I had to protect you."

"I don't understand."

"A few weeks before Peru, Belladonna contacted me. She had become more powerful in the South than I could have thought possible. She ran the underground, gangs from every front. She said she needed my help. I turned her down flat of course, but she doesn't like being told no." He paused to study Anna's face, her reaction.

"Go on." She managed, still trying to stop crying. She was in shock, Rogue wanted to be bitterly angry at her husband, but she couldn't find the strength.

"That's when she threatened you and our son. Said she'd hurt you, and kill Oli, that's how deranged she was. I told her it wasn't going to happen and she could forget it. I hung up the phone. The next day we took Olivier to the park, I never mentioned it to you at the time but we were being followed. I quickly realized Belle's men were everywhere, they watched us at the park, and on the walk home. Then the warning came. On the news that night I saw a woman had been grabbed at the park, right after we had left. She was robbed and beaten and left for dead. She survived because she was found by a passer-by. Belle called me straight after and asked me if I'd seen the news. She said next time it would be you they grabbed. It made me realize I couldn't be with you every minute of the day, protecting you."

"God Remy, why didn't you say something?"

"I couldn't, Belle made me play on her terms. I knew I could keep my family safe by working with this mad woman. She made me swear to keep it a secret and I told her I would find a way out of the X-Men. But I couldn't do it alone. I went to Emma Frost and asked for a favour. She cloaked my mutant signature from the Professor so my death was believable."

"Wait a minute," Rogue interrupted. "How did you know about the baby, and when I went into labour? The Queen of Hearts on my windowsill…that was you?"

"Yes. I almost came to you then, I was so close, but Belle was onto me, I swore that no-one knew I had snuck back to the mansion."

"But in the morning it was gone, I thought I had dreamed it…who was helping you keep this a secret?" Anna demanded.

Remy sighed. "Logan."

Rogue's eyes grew wide.

"Before you get angry at him I made him swear to keep it from you, it was to protect you and Oli. I couldn't pull this off by myself, I needed him in Peru, to make sure you were out in time and I was still able to get out. I had a mini air tank in my coat that I could breathe through until the way was clear. My foot was never really trapped, it was all an act. You have to believe me Anna, if there had been another way…"

"If I could get out of bed I would kill that swamp witch for taking my husband from me." Rogue wiped the tears away and put her arm across Remy's chest, hugging him close. "Argh," he winced.

"What's wrong?"

"Hold her for a minute." He passed their sleeping daughter over to her mother and unbuttoned his shirt. Rogue gasped at the scars across his chest. Some welts were fresh.

"What has she done to you?"

"My punishment, for sneaking back to see you, I did it many times, I couldn't stay away, I just couldn't tell you and it almost killed me."

"I'll kill her myself."

"Non ma Chere, that's up to me. I thought I'd have taken her down by now, but this little petite came early, I can't stay much longer, I couldn't hide where I was going from her, and I'm surprised I made it to New York without being apprehended."

"Remy you can't go, please not now, we'll tell the X-Men, we'll help you, just don't leave me again." She pleaded.

"I wish it were that simple, but I can't risk more lives, this is my fight."

"Our fight." Rogue squeezed his hand.

"I'll have Wolverine keep in contact, and I've got Emma masking you and Oli and this little one from Belladonna. I'll tell her you've gone to stay with family. She's got psychic mutants working for her and if they probe the mansion they won't find you here." Gambit kissed Rogue long and hard on the mouth. "I promise you Chere, I'll be home as soon as I can, as soon as I've taken her out." He stood up.

"Wait…" Rogue said. "We haven't named our daughter."

Gambit smiled. "I've always liked Rebecca?"

"Rebecca? I like it." She replied. "Bekka LeBeau."


	8. The Ultimate Deceit

**The Ultimate Deceit**

"I swear to you Logan, if my husband doesn't come back from this I'm holding you personally responsible." Anna told him while she tried to soothe a crying Rebecca. She tried to shift her position yet again in this ever uncomfortable infirmary bed. "Shh sugah, this one hasn't stopped crying from the minute Remy's left. He just picked her up and she stopped. I swear she's going to be daddy's little girl."

Logan gulped at that last comment. Rogue continued, "Which is why you're going to ensure he's around for it."

"Look, the only person you need to hold responsible for this mess is the Cajun's crazy ex. Darlin' I wanted to tell you, you know I did, but we couldn't put you at risk."

"Tell me Logan, you wouldn't know anything about a Queen Of Hearts card I hid underneath my pillow one night would you?" Rogue saw his face drop, the guilt was evident. "You took it didn't you, to make me think I had imagined the whole thing?"

"Rogue, I'm sorry…"

"Well congratulations it worked, I thought I was going crazy for a while there, thinking my dead husband was somehow coming back." This arguing just made little Bekka cry even louder, her mother desperately trying to comfort her. "Shhh, baby it's ok, please stop crying." She looked at Logan again. "I swear if anything happens to him…" tears began to well in Anna's eye.

Logan moved over to the bed and pulled Rogue's head onto his shoulder. "Nothing's going to happen; I'll make sure of it. There's a signal on my phone that Gambit has to activate from one that he's carrying, he's promised me to check in every night at midnight, if he misses that check in it's my signal that something's happened and he needs help. If I need to involve the X-Men I will, but not before I have to."

* * *

Back in New Orleans Gambit went straight into Belladonna's office the moment he got back. She sat at her desk, stretched back in her chair with her legs on the desk, with a grin the size of a Cheshire cat's.

"Hello Remy, I knew you'd come back to me."

"I want out. I mean it Belle, this is it. You can count me out of whatever you've got planned from here on in."

"How's your baby daughter?"

Remy stared at her. "How did you know I have a daughter?"

"You forget Remy I know everything, I make it my business to know. And as long as you don't want your lovely little family coming to harm, I own you." She smirked.

He lunged at her, and was over the desk in the blink of an eye. He held Belladonna up against the wall by her throat. Gambit would never lay hands on a woman, but this was an exception. For the first time, Remy saw fear in her eyes.

"You will stay away from my family." He said firmly before releasing his grip.

At this point her guards entered the room. "Boys lock him up." She instructed, her hand at her throat, wincing.

This time Gambit fought back. The guards lay on the floor after a matter of moments. "I told you Belle, I'm going home."

Belladonna was desperate now; she would try the last trick up her sleeve. She addressed one of the guards on the floor. "Jean-Pierre, bring me his wife's left-hand finger. The one with the wedding ring on it."

Remy stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at her. She continued, "Didn't you know Remy, the Xavier Institute's security really isn't up to par, we grabbed your wife, and your children as soon as you left. How else would I know she bore a girl?"

"No." He answered.

"Oh yes."

"You're bluffing." He spat.

"Am I? I could be, but where's the fun in that? Now you can either wait until Jean-Pierre brings back her finger as proof, or you can agree to be quietly escorted back to your cell and we leave her hand intact. What do you say? It's your choice." Belladonna was lying through her teeth; she knew Remy had a daughter because she had him followed. But would he fall for it. Either way she knew he wouldn't risk the chance that maybe she did have his family locked up.

Jean-Pierre moved towards the door, Remy stared at him as he opened it, his mind was racing. "Wait, I'll come quietly, but I swear, if you touch one hair on their head Belle, you're dead, you hear me."

"Loud and clear lover." She said before pulling his lips to hers. As she kissed him, Belladonna reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his mobile. "I don't think you'll be needing this anymore, we can't have you calling for help now can we?"

Remy flashed her his charming smile. "I wouldn't dream of it Belle." He grinned, because without his phone he couldn't check in, and Wolverine would come for him.

* * *

Wolverine waited an hour after Gambit failed to check in to be sure. He had tried calling many times and couldn't get through. He finally sighed and knocked on Professor Xavier's door. At one in the morning Xavier assumed this would have to be important. "Logan?" He asked opening his door.

"Professor I need to tell you something."


	9. Weakness

AN: Well here we go, I've finally decided how I want this story to end, it certainly took long enough. I'll probably squeeze out one last chapter after this. Anyway enjoy :-)

* * *

**Weakness**

Remy lay choking and spluttering his own blood on the cold dark floor. No-one had bothered to chain him up this time. But Belladonna's men had been ruthless, knowing he wouldn't fight back at the risk of putting his family in danger. He felt as though he couldn't move, every inch of his body hurt. His lip was swollen and his right eye badly bruised. He tried to move, to get up, anything, but it was too painful. He rolled over onto his chest, thinking it might be easier to push himself from the ground, and cried in pain discovering he had a number of broken ribs. Gambit stopped trying to move now, trying to minimize the pain. He prayed the X-Men were coming for him. It was then that he heard Professor Xavier communicating with him.

"Gambit, is that you?"

"Professor? Thank God. Is Anna with you? And Oli, and Bekka?"

"Yes, they're safe here, Wolverine filled me in when you failed to check in with him. Where are you, are you injured?"

Remy wanted to cry. He knew Belle had been lying to him when she said she had his family.

"New Orleans, the old Assassins hideout. But the security is heavy, and I'm in bad shape, you'll need everyone to get me out."

"We'll be there as fast as we can. I promise." Xavier told him.

"Professor, not Anna, I know she'll want to come, she has to stay there with the kids, Belladonna's mad, she'll try and kill them if she's given half a chance."

"Your children are safe Gambit, but I don't know if I'll be able to stop your wife. She won't rest until she knows you're safe. We'll see you soon."

* * *

Professor Xavier wasted no time in calling everyone down to the war room where he, Logan and Anna already sat.

"Thank you everyone I do apologize for the late hour." He addressed them. "There is no time to fully explain the circumstances so I will cut to the chase. Gambit made it out of South America alive, and has been held captive by his ex-wife, Belladonna all this time."

Ororo gasped. "No, Professor, surely he would have made contact with us."

Rogue spoke up. "I know Storm, it hurt me too, I only found out the night Bekka was born. Belladonna's been forcing him to work for her all this time or she threatened to kill me and the kids."

"He's been trying to get out all this time," Logan said, "I helped the Cajun deceive you all and I'm sorry for that. He needed someone on the inside and I was it. But now he failed to make contact and Charles says he's injured. Badly. We have to get him out now."

"I've spoken with Gambit and he says security's heavy, we need all hands on board, but Hank I want you here to prepare the infirmary. It also means you can keep Olivier and Rebecca close." Xavier said.

"You're not going to argue that I'm on the team Professor?" Rogue asked.

"I was going to, but I knew it was an argument I would not win." He smiled. "We leave in ten minutes."

* * *

Belladonna stepped into Remy's cell. He lay on the ground still unable to move any great distance.

"Hello Remy."

"Get away from me." He said, already out of breath from the effort of speaking.

"Now now, don't be like that. It wasn't supposed to be like this you know." She sat down behind him and took his head in her arms, brushing the hair away from his face.

"Belle…let me go home. This isn't right. I don't love you; I love my wife, and my children. Please let me go back to them."

"You do love me Remy. I know you do. You always have deep down." She had him right where she wanted him.

"No. I did love you once Belle, but not anymore, and any hope you've got of changing that is fading by the minute Cherie." Remy thought reasoning might work. He wished he could move, but it felt as though every bone in his body had been broken.

Belle held up a long syringe in front of his eyes. "You are mine Remy. Now once and for all."

Gambit looked at the needle in fear. The bubbly blue liquid inside couldn't mean anything good. He tried to shift out of Belladonna's grasp, but it was no use. "Belle, stop, what are you doing?"

"Shh, darling, this will help with the pain." She said as she jabbed the needle into Gambit's arm.

"Argh." He moaned, everything went hazy and it wasn't long till he blacked out.


	10. The Final Confrontation

AN: Read and Review as always, thanks again everyone for the fantastic support I've received. I have a new ROMY up titled: A World No Longer Safe, so if you haven't already, check it out. :-)

* * *

**The Final Confrontation**

When his view shifted back into focus, Gambit found he was sitting up in the main room of Belle's hideout. He couldn't feel any pain from his injuries which he didn't understand. Belladonna sat next to him reading a magazine looking very relaxed. He tried to speak but no words came out. He tried to stand but his legs wouldn't obey him. It was as though he was watching everything around him but having no control.

_What the hell has she done to me?_ Remy thought in a panic. The next thing he knew, Remy was standing and walked over to Belle. He leant down and gave her a light kiss on the lips.

_Whoa_. He said to himself. _She's making me do this. She's controlling me; I'm like a mind slave, and Gambit helpless to stop it._

When the X-Men burst in not long after, Remy tried to regain control with no success.

Jubilee and Logan were the first through the doors; the others were still pre-occupied by the guards.

"Gambit!" Jubilee yelled. "It's really you." She flung herself at him, but instead of hugging her back, Remy grabbed her arm, twisting it up behind her.

"Oww, what are you doing?"

Wolverine lunged at him. "Let her go Cajun. I don't know what crazy game you're playing but it's time to quit."

Gambit easily managed to dodge by throwing Jubilee aside and leaping out of Logan's path causing him to crash into a desk behind the Cajun.

"I thought you were meant to be injured." Logan grumbled.

"What's going on here?" Rogue asked as her and the remaining members of the team arrived to see both Logan and Jubilee on the ground.

Belladonna let out a long cold laugh. Rogue's normally controlled temper snapped. She looked straight at Belladonna and said, "I'll kill you, you evil swamp witch!" She flew straight at Belle, and with Remy standing at her side he easily grabbed Rogue and pinned her against the wall. This took her by surprise and she said "Remy, what are you playing at, why did you stop me?"

"You won't touch her." Was his cold and unnatural reply.

"What's going on Remy?" She asked again. The other X-Men looked on astounded at the scene unfolding in front of them. Remy was also watching, unable to do anything else.

"He's finally come to his senses. Remy LeBeau loves me Chère; he doesn't want you or the X-Men anymore." Belle told them from her chair.

"No, Remy, you're faking it right?" She asked him still pinned against the wall with unusually strong force. His hand grasping around her throat gave her an answer as he applied pressure, slowly trying to throttle her.

"Remy? Don't make me hurt you." She choked.

_No!!_ Remy was screaming from inside, he couldn't believe what Belle was making him do.

By now the other X-Men tried to move in and break things up when Belle shrieked at them, "Nobody comes any closer or I make him kill her." She couldn't believe her own words; in her state of glee she'd just given the game away.

"Make him?" Logan growled.

"She's using some sort of mind control on him." Jean said probing his mind. "I might be able to break it."

"Remy, you've gotta break her hold on you, think of Oli, and Bekka, our children Remy, they need their daddy." Anna said to him, her voice struggling to surface from underneath his grip. "I love you." She whispered.

Either Gambit had grown inhumanly strong or Rogue was just unable to bring herself to hurt him.

_I love you too, Anna hit me, god, do something; you can't let me kill you._ Remy tried yelling at her. It was as though she had heard him when a moment later she reached her arms up and threw him with her whole force off of her making him fly into a wall.

"I want everyone else to go back to the Blackbird. I'm going to get Remy out of this, but I don't want to be held accountable for anything I might do here. This is about two women, so let's keep it about two women." Rogue said as she got her breath back.

"We can't just leave you here to face this alone Rogue." Cyclops said.

"Please Scott, just take everyone to safety, I'm bringing this place down." She firmly told him. "Jean how's that mind probing coming along?"

"The real Gambit is awake in there, he can hear and see everything, he just has no control over his actions." Jean said. "It's strong Rogue I don't know if I can."

"That's not the right answer." She replied.

"Gambit's talking to me. He's saying that if I can't help him, we're to leave him here, he doesn't want anyone else getting hurt."

Rogue stared at Belle with a deadly glare. "Well it's not going to come to that. Is it Belladonna?"

"Give it up Rogue, you don't scare me. Remy will do anything I tell him whether he likes it or not."

"Let him go!" Rogue shouted, losing her patience. "X-Men, everyone out now."

They didn't have to be told twice. Now it was just Rogue, Belle, and Gambit.

Rogue flew up to Belle so she was just inches from her face. Gambit stood next to his mistress, ready to strike if Rogue touched her.

"How did you do it? Tell me or I'll take it out of your head. Your choice." Rogue took off one glove to emphasize her threat. "How are you controlling him?" She asked a second time.

"I have no mutant powers Chère, what good is it absorbing me? I've drugged him, and there is no antidote." Belladonna smiled.

"Well aren't you lucky it's not you I want to absorb." In the blink of an eye Rogue had flung her arm out and put her bare hand on Remy's cheek. Absorbing Gambit's life-force had the desired effect, drawing the entire drug out of his system.

"No!" Belladonna shrieked.

"Argh….." He moaned falling to the floor, still conscious but in a lot of pain. He still had broken ribs, bleeding and bruising; now without Belle's mind-altering drug, he could feel everything again.

"I'm sorry darlin' it was the only way." Rogue said crouching on the ground. She helped him up and positioned him to lean on her shoulder, taking all of his weight.

Belle went to step forward, but Rogue cut her off saying. "Come one step closer and I'll kill you Belle, I mean it."

"No, you don't understand, I love him! Remy's my whole life he always has been."

"Give it a rest. You don't do this sort of thing to the people you love." Remy said, blood seeping from his split lip.

Rogue moved with him back to the doors. Belle insisted on following so Rogue put her free hand out and placed it against the wall. Using Gambit's powers she charged up the wall, slowly charging up the entire building. Speaking into her communicator she said, "Logan I need you to come and take Gambit off my shoulder and safely into the Blackbird." Then she said to the ever persistent Belle, "One step closer and I blow it up. I'll blow up the building that's the core to your dark underworld empire, I mean it."

Logan came and put Gambit on his shoulder, "Come on bub, I think you've had enough excitement for one day. Aren't you coming Rogue?"

"Give me a minute." She replied her hand still firmly charging the building.

Belladonna looked at Rogue. "Alright, you win. I give up. I let you leave quietly and we forget this whole thing happened. I'll leave you and your family alone."

"I'm glad we understand each other." Rogue said. "Now, this is my revenge." She took her hand away from the wall, blowing up the building.

The X-Men looked on in horror as the building crumbled to the ground, but to their relief Anna emerged without a scratch. She entered the Blackbird where Remy lay on an infirmary stretcher and took his hand in hers. "It's over."

Gambit just smiled as he drifted off to sleep as the Blackbird flew him home to his children. As he held his son for the first time in a year, Remy LeBeau vowed never to leave them again.


End file.
